UN accuses South Sudan of failing people amid famine and civil war

The South Sudanese leadership is failing its people, the United Nations has claimed. David Shearer, the UN representative in the country, accused leaders of being more interested in their political gains rather than in the safety of people, who have been bearing the brunt of a three-year-long civil war.

Priti Patel, secretary of the UK's Department for International Development (DfID) said: "Children will die tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that, until the South Sudanese authorities allow food and life-saving aid to reach those most in need.

"It is completely abhorrent that the government of South Sudan, who should be protecting its own people, are instead focused on fighting and not letting aid through, which is causing this famine. Perpetrators of attacks against innocent people should be in no doubt that the world is watching and that that they will be held to account."

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The South Sudanese government maintains it is committed to respecting a peace deal signed in 2015 that aims to end the bitter civil war. The leadership has always rejected allegations of human rights abuses and denied allegations that the army targets civilians.